FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 08 January 2020 Compiled by Jim Matthews www.OutdoorNewsService.com
The fish report is weekly. Its accuracy depends on marina operators, tackle shops, and local fishermen we contact. Anglers catching large fish should send the information to Outdoor News Service, P.O. Box 9007, San Bernardino, CA 92427, or telephone 909-887-3444, so it can be included in this report. E-Mail messages or fishing reports can also be posted to Jim Matthews at odwriter@verizon.net.
The fish report is copyrighted and any use or reposting of the report, or portions of the report, is prohibited without written permission.
JIM MATTHEWS’S PICKS OF THE WEEK
1. Light fishing pressure everywhere, so solid reports have been harder to come by lately. There is however a continued fair to good winter bite on bigger crappie at Lake Isabella in deep-water around most marinas. This bite has been quietly going on for over a month now and while it requires patience to find and wait out the fish, it has been consistent. Best of all the crappie are generally good slabs, running from æ-pound up to nearly two pounds. The bite is mostly on small, live minnows. For an update on this action and top spots, check with Bobís Bait at 661-833-8657.
2.Pyramid Lake stays in the top picks, but not for its continued pretty fair trout action. Itís for the striped bass that have been showing in pretty good numbers for both bank and boat anglers. The marina rip-rap and main lake points have been hot, and anglers fishing sardines, blood or lug worms, or nightcrawlers are getting the fish. Boat anglers trolling with umbrella rigs or jigging Kastmasters are also getting stripers. Most are smaller class fish with some to five pounds, but an occasional bigger fish keeps popping up. For an update on the bite, check with the Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express in Castaic at 661-251-8700.
3. The Kern Riverís trout bite has stayed very good even without plants the past couple of weeks. Light pressure, but good stream anglers are reporting limits on salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, and SuperDupers in both the upper and lower river. Some bigger, holdover fish continue to show in this action, but most are solid one to 1 Ω-pounders. For an update on this bite, call Bobís Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
VICTORVILLE REGION
HESPERIA LAKE: Weekly 700-pound trout plants from Jess Ranch have kept the trout fishing pretty fair with some limits and some better quality fish reported each week. The best action has been on has been on PowerBait in rainbow garlic, chartreuse garlic, or salmon peach. Top spots have been along the north shore, the drain, and Finger Cove. Most of the trout are one to two pounds. Chris Webber, Ruben Martinez, and Sy Martinez, all from San Bernardino, landed a limit each on small jigs at the drain. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.
JESS RANCH LAKES: Trout bite is still slow. Top action has been on PowerBait in salmon peach, garlic, and rainbow, nightcrawlers, and small trout jigs and other small trout lures. Best spots include the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 and the grassy point and western shore near the drainof lake 3. Other species very slow. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.
MOJAVE NARROWS: The trout action has been fair with weekly 609-pound plants on Thursdays. The trout are from 1-8 to three pounds, and while no limits were reported, many anglers are getting one or two fish. The park is only open Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. No DFW trout plants on the schedule yet. Information, call 760-245-2226.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION
APOLLO PARK LAKE:
APOLLO PARK LAKE: The trout bite has slowed way down with no recent plants, but the persistent anglers fishing the back side of the lake are still getting a few holdover fish. Very light fishing pressure. PowerBait or the small Drewís worms or Rat Tails (or similar baits) have been the best bets. The carp and bluegill bites have also come on a bit with the sunny weather this past week. Carp to six pounds have been reported on dough baits, but anglers have to fish further from shore in deeper water. The bluegill are small, but the bite is pretty fair on wax worm on meal worms. For more information on plants and events, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
JACKSON LAKE (NEAR WRIGHTWOOD): Almost no fishing pressure again this past week. Some anglers are still getting a few rainbows even though the lake has not been planted in some time. The bluegill and carp bites have slowed to nothing. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
LAKE PALMDALE:The lake closed to fishing until Feb. 2. The trout plants have already begun in preparation for the opener. More details as the opening date gets closer. Call the Palmdale Fin & Feather Club for membership and fishing information at 661-947-2884 or go to website at www.palmdalefinandfeatherclub.com.
QUAIL LAKE: Cold much of this past week with very light fishing pressure and overall slow action. A few catfish are still showing at the outlet on fresh sardines, and that bait is also still getting an occasional striper. There were also reports of some hand-sized bluegill being caught along the reeds on meal worms. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): The striper bite has continued pretty fair, but there have been periods of little water movement this past week. Even then anglers hitting the bridge crossing and weirs are getting a few stripers from three to seven pounds with some bigger. When there are flows, the chicken liver-nightcrawler combo with added scent has been best. For lure anglers, the blue and white Rapala 13B floater has been a hot bait, including one 17-pounder caught on this bait in the Barrel Springs area. A few catfish also showing in this bite on the same bait or sardines. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): No reports again over the past week.
LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports again this week. The lake is normally open to walk-in fishing, but the Palmdale Water District has an ongoing sediment removal project and access is restricted at times. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS
SILVERWOOD: The trout bite has remained very consistent with fewer limits this week (no plant since Dec. 20), but many anglers are still reporting two or three fish. The best bite is in Cleghorn, Miller, around the marina, and up into the channel on PowerBait in chartreuse and garlic, Trout Magnet jigs, or inflated nightcrawlers with garlic. Steve Walker, Fontana, landed four rainbows to three pounds in Miller Canyon on garlic PowerBait. The bite on stripers has also continued fair to good for this time of year with some good catches of fish to four pounds and the odd bigger fish. Top baits have been anchovies, lug or blood worms, or nightcrawlers. Jim Baker, Ontario, landed five stripers to four pounds in Miller on nightcrawlers. Other species have been slow, with only an occasional report of a largemouth or catfish, but Haran Zhang, Brea, landed an 18-pound catfish on anchovies at the dam. Lake elevation is 3,341.04, up 2.44 feet from last week. Anglers should be aware of health advisories for the consumption of fish from this lake because of high PCB and mercury levels in the fish flesh and skin. Hereís the direct link to a PDF brochure explaining consumption recommendations:http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/pdf_zip/081013KioskadvySilverwood.pdf. Dock fishing is allowed for $3 for adults, $2 for kids and seniors. Private boats must be inspected for zebra and quagga mussels. Boats with wet lower units will be turned away. Boats inspected and tagged at Diamond Valley and Perris will be allowed at Silverwood. The park is open seven days a week. Information: marina 760-389-2299, state park 760-389-2281, Silverwood Country store 760-389-2423.
BIG BEAR LAKE: Cold and clear conditions until late this week. The lake is iced over pretty solidly most days now, but not thick enough to be safe for ice fishing. There is some open water in exposed areas in the afternoons, and the best shore fishing has been near the dam. No fishing reports. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the storeís Facebook page.
GREGORY LAKE: No report available. Cold with lots of morning ice. Most recent plants over a month ago. Lake and fishing information at 909-338-2233 or on the website at lakegregoryrecreation.com/fish. Fishing updates are posted infrequently on the parkís Facebook page or website.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE: Lake mostly iced over. No fishing reports. Ice fishing is not allowed or safe. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.
INTERSTATE 5 LAKES
CASTAIC: Most recent DFW trout plant was three weeks, but the bite remains fair thanks to bigger and more plants so far this year. The bite has been best around the main launch ramp on PowerBait, mini jigs, and Kastmasters with the fish averaging in the one-pound range and some bigger. A few stripers are showing in deep water with spoons, ice jigs, or small shad swimbaits, and a 35-pound trout eater was caught recently on a big artificial bluegill. Finding fish has been difficult. The largemouth and smallmouth action has been mostly in deeper water and with finesse-style baits. They also have been tough to locate, but when you find a school, the finesse baits or deep-diving jerk baits and weighted swimbaits have been getting a few fish. Catfish and bluegill bites are slow, and no crappie reports. The lakeís elevation is 1,479.39 feet, down 1.37 feet from last week. The lake is 77 percent of full pool. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
PYRAMID: The striper bite has been the best bet this past week with some good catches made off the marina rip-rap and main lake points on cut baits like sardines, blood or lug worms, or nightcrawlers. Boat anglers trolling with umbrella rigs or jigging Kastmasters are also getting fish. Most are smaller class fish with some to five pounds. Still a fair trout bite thanks to plants three, four, and five weeks ago. Best action on PowerBait and trout plastics and jigs, or inflated garlic scented nightcrawlers. Top spots have been the marina area and the shorelines adjacent to the marina. The largemouth and smallmouth bites both been fair with light pressure. Soft plastic, cranks, and small swimbaits have all been getting fish along most shorelines. No reports on other species. The lakeís elevation is 2,565.96 feet, down .63 feet from last week. This is 86 percent of full pool. There is a health warning about eating fish from Pyramid Lake (except the rainbow trout). More information at this link: http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/pyramidlake2013.html. Information: Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
COLORADO RIVER
ARIZONA FISHING REPORTS: The Arizona Game and Fish Department compiles a weekly report for most waters in the state, including the Colorado Rivers. Anglers can read the report at this direct link: http://azgfd.net/artman/publish/FishingReport/.
FLOW INFORMATION: Reservoir elevation levels and flow releases for the entire lower Colorado River are available at this web site with information updated hourly: www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/rivops.html.
WESTERN SIERRA
LAKE ISABELLA: Cold with light fishing pressure, but there continues to be an interesting deep-water crappie bite around most marinas. The fish are generally quality fish, running from æ-pound up to nearly two pounds. The bite is mostly on small, live minnows. There also continues to be a fair catfish bite on fish to six pounds on Triple S dip bait, clams, shad, sardines, chicken liver, all used with scent added. Many anglers are adding nightcrawlers to their cut baits to add motion. Best area has been near the dam. Only a few largemouth from deep water, and no bluegill, carp, or trout reports this week, although the DFW planted the lake this week and three weeks ago. The lake elevation is 2,560.32 feet, up .18 feet from last week. The lake is at 30 percent full. Information: Bobís Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com, North Fork Marina at 760-376-1812, or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
KERN RIVER: The trout bite continues pretty good in both the upper and lower river, in spite of no plants for two-plus weeks. The river was, heavily stocked since late fall, and there are good numbers of fish spread in the plant areas. Good anglers are still getting limits, and some bigger fish continue to show in the lower river. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Roostertails and Blue Fox spinners, and SuperDupers are the best baits and lures. Very low flows for fishermen in both the upper (394 cfs) and lower river (371 cfs). Fly-fishing action fair on the upper river from Kernville up to the Johnsondale Bridge and above, but very cold water conditions. The bass action in the lower river has also been slow on nightcrawlers and small reaction baits. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: Continued light fishing pressure, and the striper bite has been fair to good with more and more keeper-sized 18 to 24-inch fish showing. The best action has been on minnows, blood worms, or Fluke- and Gitzit-type baits. The catfish bite is slow on cut baits and dip baits at most bridge crossings and weirs. Most fish on Triple S dip bait, mackerel, blood or lug worms, or chicken liver fished along the bottom. Anglers are reminded the limit on stripers is two fish greater than 18 inches, while the largemouth limit is five fish. Information: Bobís Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
MILL CREEK PARK AND CANAL: Overall very slow with almost no fishing pressure and no reports of carp, bluegill, or catfish.
RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: Slow action. Trout were stocked three and four weeks ago, but few fish have been reported in the past week. Only an occasional trout on Mice Tails, PowerBait (with garlic oil), gold spinners, Phoebes, or Kastmasters. Other species are very slow, too. Information Bobís Bait 661-833-8657.
HART PARK LAKE: Dead for trout with no plants in over six weeks, and the lake is not slated to get DFW trout this week or next week. No fishing pressure this past week and very slow action on all other species, too.
TRUXTUN LAKE: Almost no fishing pressure and there have not been any carp, bass, or bluegill reported.
MING LAKE: Probably the best bet for Bakersfield trout anglers until more DFW plants arrive, but the action is still pretty slow here. The most recent DFW plants were three and four weeks ago. A few holdover trout are showing for anglers fishing Mice Tails, the mini jig-wax worm combo, PowerBait with garlic oil, or garlic nightcrawlers. Very slow other species.
BRITE LAKE: DFW trout plant three weeks ago, but none since, and the bite is fair with light fishing pressure on PowerBait with garlic oil, Power Worms, or Mice Tails. A few small crappie reported this past week. Other species are slow.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: The lake was planted Monday this week, and the action has been very good since on these Mt. Lassen trout with some bigger fish topping five pounds. The best action is on Mice Tails with a few fish on garlic nightcrawlers, PowerBait, and small trout jigs. Other bites are very slow with no bass, carp, crappie, or bluegill reported. Fishing information: Bobís Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com or Copeís Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
WOOLLOMES LAKE: No reports.
SUCCESS LAKE: There was a DFW trout plants next week and two weeks ago. Overall slow fishing with little pressure, but a few bass continued to show on structure with plastics or jigs. No crappie, bluegll, or catfish reports. The lake level stayed at eight percent full this week. The lake elevation is 594.85 feet, up 1.69 feet from last week. The lake is at 10 percent capacity. Information: Copeís Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
KAWEAH LAKE: DFW trout plants next week and two weeks ago. The overall bite is still slow with very little fishing pressure, but some bass are showing on plastics and jigs in deeper water. No bluegill and catfish being reported. Lake elevation is currently 614.42 feet, up .29 feet from last week. The lake is at 16 percent capacity. Information: Sierra Sporting Goods at 559-592-5212.
EASTERN SIERRA
Top Eastern Sierra fishing report web sites are: www.KensSport.com (Bridgeport region), www.TheTroutFly.com (Mammoth Lakes region), and www.SierraDrifters.com (Bishop and Mammoth Lakes region).
TROUT PLANTS
For trout plants statewide, you can visit the DFWís stocking page at https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants/.
This weekís trout plants: In Kern County, Lake Isabella is getting DFW trout. In San Bernardino County, Silverwood Lake is being plantedIn Inyo County, Diaz Lake is slated to get stocked.
Next weekís trout plant (Jan. 12-18): In Inyo County, Diaz Lake and the Owens River below Tinnemaha Reservoir are on the DFW plant list. In Tulare County, both Kaweah and Success reservoirs are slated to get trout.
OCEAN FISHING REPORT
For the most comprehensive and up-to-date ocean fishing available, go to www.976-TUNA.com.
YOUR FISHING REPORTS
Please feel free to send your freshwater or saltwater fishing reports and fishing photos to Jim Matthews, Outdoor News Service, at odwriter@verizon.net the information will be included in the weekly report. If you have questions or comments, please call Matthews at 909-887-3444.
